Projecting When the Next ToC Competition Might Take Place

[mikebdoss]

TPTB also have to fly all 15 contestants in and pay for their lodging and per diem.

Call it $1000 for a round trip ticket, and another $1000 for 4 or 5 nights lodging. Breakfast is included at the hotel, lunch is on set, maybe they're paying $200-250 for dinners. Call it $2250 all up per person to be very conservative (airfare could be half or less, cut lodging to 3 nights at $150 and that's half as well). For 15 contestants that $27k. Not quite a rounding error with $480k in prize money, but close.

Especially for a show like Jeopardy that's otherwise VERY low-cost to produce, and is still very popular with advertisers.

[MarkBarrett]

TPTB also have to fly all 15 contestants in and pay for their lodging and per diem.

Call it $1000 for a round trip ticket, and another $1000 for 4 or 5 nights lodging. Breakfast is included at the hotel, lunch is on set, maybe they're paying $200-250 for dinners. Call it $2250 all up per person to be very conservative (airfare could be half or less, cut lodging to 3 nights at $150 and that's half as well). For 15 contestants that $27k. Not quite a rounding error with $480k in prize money, but close.

What about the alternate? Sorry, you just missed out on making the field. You're welcome to show up in case something happens to someone, but it's on your own dime. Do we have confirmation that Tim Kutz served this duty?

[AndyTheQuizzer]

What about the alternate? Sorry, you just missed out on making the field. You're welcome to show up in case something happens to someone, but it's on your own dime. Do we have confirmation that Tim Kutz served this duty?

From what I was told in my covering of the 2015 tournament, the alternate gets a small stipend, and from the references that I heard in the last JLP, I believe Tim did serve this duty.

[threearruda]

In the category of grain of salt, Alex in his 11/20 opening talked about the players wanting to qualify for next year's tournament of champions.

I am aware you say grain of salt, but Alex is also the same guy who quipped shortly before this ToC started that the tourney would feature the best players from the last year... so who knows.

As for the alternate question, yeah I remember Jason saying at one point on last week's Live Panel that it was in fact Tim and that Tim was not happy about this fact.. I don't blame him one bit. Paying his own way would just be silly, though. The show invited him back (albeit as an alternate) and should theoretically treat him the same way as the others when it comes to lodging. Nice to know that he does got something, however.

[trainman]

Have we ever had official word that the cost is a consideration in how often they do them? In any average two-week period, the show gives away $150 -$250K in prizes to winners (paid for by advertising). Total for the ToC is just under $500,000, so it's more, but not a huge amount more.

Also, generally, only the consolation prizes have been sponsored in the past, no?

Technically, all the prize money on J! -- along with everything else -- is paid for by advertising. They just don't have a sponsorship announcement saying, for example, "Johnny Gilbert's salary is brought to you by..."

[alietr]

I remember doing some rough calculations a number of years ago. I figured that the prize money is only about 5-10% of the revenue they pull in.

[Bamaman]

In the category of grain of salt, Alex in his 11/20 opening talked about the players wanting to qualify for next year's tournament of champions.

I am aware you say grain of salt, but Alex is also the same guy who quipped shortly before this ToC started that the tourney would feature the best players from the last year... so who knows.

As for the alternate question, yeah I remember Jason saying at one point on last week's Live Panel that it was in fact Tim and that Tim was not happy about this fact.. I don't blame him one bit. Paying his own way would just be silly, though. The show invited him back (albeit as an alternate) and should theoretically treat him the same way as the others when it comes to lodging. Nice to know that he does got something, however.

Why was he unhappy? Nobody forced him to go. I get it sucks having to watch and being excluded, but he could have declined the invitation.

[opusthepenguin]

In the category of grain of salt, Alex in his 11/20 opening talked about the players wanting to qualify for next year's tournament of champions.

I am aware you say grain of salt, but Alex is also the same guy who quipped shortly before this ToC started that the tourney would feature the best players from the last year... so who knows.

As for the alternate question, yeah I remember Jason saying at one point on last week's Live Panel that it was in fact Tim and that Tim was not happy about this fact.. I don't blame him one bit. Paying his own way would just be silly, though. The show invited him back (albeit as an alternate) and should theoretically treat him the same way as the others when it comes to lodging. Nice to know that he does got something, however.

Why was he unhappy? Nobody forced him to go. I get it sucks having to watch and being excluded, but he could have declined the invitation.

Because he coulda been somebody. He coulda been a contestant. Instead of an alternate. Which is what he was.

[OrangeSAM]

...
5 wins has always guaranteed qualification, barring any legal or mortal matters.. but the show brings back players at their own discretion.

I am glad there's a mortal matters disqualification. Otherwise, we could have a lot of stand-and-stares.

[LucarioSnooperVixey]

2004: September
7-6-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-3-C-C

2006: May
19-8-6-5-5-5-4-4-3-3-3-3-3-C-C

2007: November
5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-3-3-C

2009: March
9-6-6-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4

2010: May
7-6-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-C-C-C

2011: November
8-7-6-6-6-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-C-T

2013: Februrary
9-7-7-6-6-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-C-T-T

2014: November
20-11-8-8-6-6-6-5-5-5-5-4-C-C-T

2015: November
13-7-6-6-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-3-T

2017: November
12-12-9-7-6-6-6-6-6-5-5-C-C-T-T

2019: November
32-7-7-7-6-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-3-C-T